Assay Controls & Cell Stimulation

Assay controls and cell stimulation reagents give defined responses that anchor cell-based experiments. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) with ionomycin activates T cells, and brefeldin A or monensin retain cytokines for intracellular staining. Staurosporine induces apoptosis, which the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK blocks, while erastin and RSL3 trigger ferroptosis and ferrostatin-1 prevents it. Mitochondrial stress tests combine oligomycin, FCCP and rotenone, and tunicamycin induces endoplasmic reticulum stress. Bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine block autophagic flux at the lysosome, a standard control in autophagy assays. Nocodazole, thymidine and RO-3306 arrest cells at defined cell cycle stages for synchronization.